Roughriders complete sweep

Friday might have felt more like a Monday for the Maple Woods pitching staff, as the Crowder Roughriders battered them for eight runs in game one, and 15 in game two while securing a sweep of the four-game series at Roughrider Field.

Comment

By Levi Payton

Neosho Daily News - Neosho, MO

By Levi Payton

Posted Mar. 30, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Mar 31, 2013 at 12:02 AM

By Levi Payton

Posted Mar. 30, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Mar 31, 2013 at 12:02 AM

Friday might have felt more like a Monday for the Maple Woods pitching staff, as the Crowder Roughriders battered them for eight runs in game one, and 15 in game two while securing a sweep of the four-game series at Roughrider Field.

At 26-4 overall, 9-1 in Region 16 and ranked No. 2 in the nation — the Roughriders trail only Lamar (Colo.) Community College (27-6) in the rankings — Crowder battered Monarchs’ starter Grant Woods for seven runs on eight hits in game one as they cruised to an 8-5 victory. They answered in game two by smacking Monarchs pitchers Brad Boegel, Ryan Deckard and Zack Riley for five, six and four runs, respectively in a 15-3 win.

Whether it was a hard-hit ball in the gap, or a slapped single through the infield, the Roughriders found a way to get on base all day. And when they got on the bases, the wreaked havoc.

“Of all the good things we did (Friday), I think the one thing, if I could pick one thing we did better than we have all year, was we went first to third on hit balls more than we’ve done in previous years, probably,” Crowder Coach Travis Lallemand said. “Being able to go first to third as opposed to stopping at second is just a huge deal. We swung the bats well and we did a lot of things well, but more impressive to me was the way we ran the bases.”

With a calm and collected approach, the Roughriders went mad at the plate, especially in game two where they had 21 hits through six innings. Chris Scroggins, Tony Sandifer and Matt Burgess each had three hits, while Burgess doubled and drove in four RBIs. Cody Althouse, Ty White, CJ Webster and Ryan Lazo picked up two hits each, while Tyler McKinzie and Jordan Dey had a hit apiece. Althouse, White and Dey drove in two runs each.

As evidenced by their eight extra-base hits, the Roughriders weren’t getting fooled at the dish. Burgess, Feddersen, Scroggins, Sandifer and White each had a double, and Lazo had two. Dey, however, had the big swing of the day, connecting on his first homer of the season, a two-run shot to left field.

Those five runs in the first and eight more in the third were more than Roughriders’ starter Preston Tarkington would need. The righty would allow five runs (four earned) with on five hits with four strikeouts and three walks. Reliever Jake Barnes, a Neosho High School product, struck out the side in relief in the seventh.

The Roughriders were also efficient in game one as they scored eight runs on eight hits. After a scoreless first, they jumped on Woods with five runs in the second, one in the fourth and two more in the fifth. The Monarchs plated three in the third off Crowder starter Jon Woodcock, and later added two more in the sixth.

Page 2 of 2 - Sandifer led the team with two hits, including a double, and two RBIs, while Lazo and Webster added doubles and White popped a triple. Althouse drove in a pair of runs on a hit, while Burgess, and Feddersen also had a hit apiece.

“I think our depth showed (Friday),” Lallemand said. “We were pretty calm and pretty consistent through the day, and that’s what we preach as coaches. The kids want to be able to go out and prove it on the field.”

Crowder is back in action on Monday at Connors State in Warner, Okla., for a nine-inning game at 2 p.m.